Sustainable development at a local and regional level depends on many factors. One of them, strictly related to biodiversity conservation and proper ecosystem functioning, is the presence of such protected areas as national (NP) and landscape (LP) parks in the region. Such forms of nature conservation are established in places of high environmental values. However, this also means restrictions and prohibitions that may limit possibility of local development. The main aim of the research is an attempt to study an influence of LP and NP on socio-economic development of communes in three provinces in the north of Poland (Western Pomerania, Pomerania, Warmia and Mazury). The results of examination survey sent to local authorities were used in the research. The results are ambiguous and may depend on the location of a particular park. Moreover, the majority of research respondents did not believe that the presence of such protected areas have a strong negative impact on communes, the local development and also pointed to some benefits related to NP and LP, like enhancing tourist attractiveness of the area.

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